Episode 43 Shadow of the wind
by KayDee35
Summary: TV episode with added scenes


**Shadow of the wind**

xxx

Dedicated to Henry Darrow and Cameron Mitchell,

the two wonderful actors

who made Manolito Montoya and Buck Cannon

come to life.

xxx

The ranch hands were sitting under the canopy of their bunkhouse and watched the grass grow. The morning shift had already finished their work. Everybody was only waiting for Big John to come back to the ranch. Victoria wanted to relax for a few days and had decided to visit a fiesta in Tucson. Big John had been happy to oblige her because there was really something to celebrate. Cochise had finally signed a peace treaty with the army. But before they left for the fiesta, the rancher wanted to make sure that everything was in order. When they returned, they would have to prepare for the cattle drive. With this thought in the back of his mind, Big John had set out with the evening shift to look for some stray cattle.

Bored to death, Joe yawned and shot a look towards the front gate. "Can't we do something instead of just sitting around?" he asked sullenly, cracking his knuckles. He was looking forward to the fiesta, but the wait was beginning to get tiresome. Judging from the mumbled agreement his remark earned him, the others seemed to get impatient as well.

"Buck taught me a game," Manolito spoke up. "We played it yesterday on the pasture."

"Listen to that," Blue exclaimed indignantly. "While the rest of us is working our ass off, the two of you are having fun. By rights you should both work an extra shift."

Mano grinned, his eyes flashing. The boy would pay for that. However, he did not comment on Blue's remark, but turned to the ranch hands instead. "We are going to need a ball, a playing field with two goals and two teams on horseback. Each rider has a stick and tries to get the ball into the opponents' goal."

"I think I've seen this once," Sam remarked thoughtfully. "You have to be a good rider to even get near the ball."

"And what do we use as sticks?" Ira wanted to know.

Mano shrugged his shoulders. "A broomstick will do, I guess."

The men jumped up, grabbed a broom each, then got their horses saddled. The empty corral had to serve as the playing field. Ira drew the lines on the ground to indicate the goals. Then the ranch hands formed two teams.

Reno threw the ball in the middle. "Ready. Set. Go!" he shouted, and the players rode towards the ball.

In that moment Buck came back. His brother had sent him home to tell the rest of the household that he would follow as soon as possible. Buck grinned when he noticed the riders. Mano had wasted no time to popularise the game. Buck leaned on the fence. "Come on, you experts. Hit that thing," he shouted, waving his hat.

No one paid him any attention. The men had their hands full trying to direct their horses. They approached the ball slowly, their brooms also hitting other players in the process. Sam was the first to reach the ball. He swung his broom – and missed.

"That big enough ball for you, Sam?" Buck laughed.

Victoria had spent the day preparing for the fiesta. She had finally managed to sort out what clothes to pack and how and where to stow them. She was currently loading up the buckboard. She came from the house, carrying yet another suitcase and bag, grumbling in Spanish. "I have to do everything myself. These ranch hands have the brightest ideas, playing games instead of helping me. No one in this house will help me if I do not demand it." She looked sullenly to the men who slowly got the hang of the game and started to enjoy it.

Victoria set the luggage down. The bag flew aboard. The suitcase, however, opened when she tried to heave it onto the buckboard, and her clothes fell down into the dust. Miffed, she tried to cram them back in, but gave up after a few unsuccessful attempts. At least Manolito could lend a hand. That was what a brother was for, after all, wasn't it? She searched the corral. She did not see her brother, but Blue was leaning forward too much to catch the ball and fell off his horse.

"Blue boy, what ya doing down there?" Buck called out, a big grin on his face.

Blue paused and gazed towards the fence. "Hey, Uncle Buck, look what I did," he smiled and got back up.

Victoria also glanced to the fence. "Buck!" Her brother-in-law would help her, she would see to it.

"Come on, Pedro. Ride that thing," Buck was shouting at the top of his voice when she reached him.

"Buck?" Victoria asked politely.

The man did not seem to notice. "Sam, get it get it get it," he cried, waving his arms.

"Buck," Victoria tried again.

Her brother-in-law still did not respond. Victoria cupped her hands around her mouth. "BUCK!" she yelled into his ear.

Buck winced and finally turned to face her. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Where is John?" Victoria demanded.

"John who?" Buck retorted and was about to look back to the corral when he noticed Victoria's face. His sister-in-law seemed to be ready to blow up. "Oh, John," Buck said as if he had just remembered the name. He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, last time I saw him, he was looking for some strays. He had a little heifer trouble." He turned back to the playing field. Joe was racing to the ball, pursued by Sam and Mano. "Oh, come on, Joe, hit it, "Buck let fly.

"Heifer trouble?" Victoria asked incredulously when she finally got the chance to put a word in.

"Yes, ma'am, heifer trouble," Buck repeated absently.

"Do you mean the only thing he cares about is this ranch and his heifers?" Victoria asked without drawing breath.

Buck heard the sharp undertone. "Oh no, ma'am," he said sincerely.

"Well, he knew we had to leave," his sister-in-law retorted angrily.

However, Buck was again enraptured by the game. Victoria started to pace in front of the fence like a caged tiger.

"Just take it easy, Victoria. Old John be along in plenty of time to drive you to town," Buck tried to placate her without taking his eyes off the game.

Victoria pointed to the players. "What are they playing?" She got no answer. "Could you possibly help me?" she tried in Spanish.

"Hit it, Joe," her brother-in-law suddenly cheered.

Victoria almost stamped her foot. "Do I have to put up with such treatment?" she snapped. "Will you listen to me instead of looking at that stupid- What are they playing?"

Buck gave her a quick glance. "It's a stupid game. I don't really like it."

"What are they playing?" his sister-in-law repeated.

"It's called Polo," Buck finally explained. "Those army fellas brought it here. You see, you hit that ball with them sticks. I really don't like it," he declared and roared the next moment: "Get it, Blue!"

She supposed the ranch hands must have beaten it out of him, Victoria thought sourly, what Buck had done to pass his leisure-time while he was in the army.

"How often do I have to say it?" She took Buck by the arm so that he would at least look at her if she could not get him to listen to her. "I look forward to going to a fiesta, and my man is off-" She took a deep breath and started to shout herself: "-paying attention to cows!"

Her brother-in-law shook his head. "Now, Victoria, I wouldn't worry about it," Buck repeated. "Old John will be along in plenty of time to drive you to town." He had heard himself that John had promised to accompany them to the fiesta. And since Big John had never broken a promise, there was no reason to get all upset. Buck considered the issue resolved and turned back to the game. "Go, Joe!"

"Drive me?" Victoria asked after a moment of stunned silence.

"Yes, ma'am." Buck gave her a blank look. What was John supposed to do? Drive to Tucson while she went there on foot?

Victoria put her hands on her hips. "Mister Cannon, I don't need a driver. I need a husband who is packed and ready to leave his beautiful ranch for a little while to drive me to my fiesta!"

Buck nodded. Now Victoria had done it. She had talked herself into a rage. She did not get her head and could not refrain from making everybody else miserable, too. "Well, don't you worry, Victoria. Old John will be along. He'll be here any minute," Buck insisted and then proceeded to ignore her again. "Hit it, Sam!"

"He will find me gone. Gone!" Victoria yelled at the top of her voice.

"What?" Buck asked, aghast.

His sister-in-law nodded. She took a deep breath and looked to the players.

"Go get it, Blue," she heard Mano encourage the youngest Cannon.

Blue leaned forward on his horse and again took a fall. He wiped the dust from his eyes and spat sand. "Who pushed me?"

"Now, do you think some of the bunkhouse could be spared for a while from their hard work to drive me to my fiesta?" Victoria addressed Buck again, calmer this time, waving her hand to indicate the players.

"Oh, the boys?" Buck asked absently. Did she not want to wait for Big John?

Victoria nodded. "Yes, the boys."

"Oh yes, ma'am. Victoria, they'd be happy to," Buck replied and did not move from the spot.

"Well?" His sister-in-law crossed her arms over her chest, tapping her foot.

Buck made an inviting gesture. "I mean, take as many as you want," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"How can I take any of them when they are playing with brooms?" Victoria flared up.

"Er- oh yes, ma'am, you're right," Buck mumbled but seemed otherwise unfazed.

"Really?"

Buck shot his sister-in-law a quick glance. She would not be put off much longer. Hopefully Big John would show up soon, or they were going to be seriously short on domestic bliss for quite some time. "I guess this foolishness has been going on long enough," Buck sighed. "It really is a silly game, Victoria. But the boys will come. They listen real good to me." He turned to the playing field. "Hey, fellas. Fiesta time, let's go!"

Victoria nodded in satisfaction and went back to the buckboard, stowing the last suitcase. A moment later she stiffened.

"Not a chance, Uncle Buck," she heard Blue yell.

"No, we don't want to take a break. We want to play," Joe agreed with his boss's son.

"Come on. No excuses," Mano put in as well.

Buck shrugged. "Well, Victoria-" he looked around and saw his sister-in-law leaning on her suitcase.

"There you have it. That silly game is all that matters to them", Victoria snorted.

Buck hesitated. "Well, I guess they didn't pay too much attention," he said sheepishly.

His sister-in-law gave him an angry look. Buck knew it was time to get down to brass tacks, or Victoria would drive to the city all by herself. Buck could not let that happen. It was too dangerous.

"Excuse me, Victoria." Buck jumped over the fence. "Fellas, I said we're gonna stop for a while. Down with you." He pulled the nearest ranch hand off his horse.

Mano rode up and laughingly struck Buck with his broom.

"I don't believe it," Buck said indignantly. He tried to pull Blue from his horse. But his nephew remained seated this time, mostly because Joe also came to his aid and attacked Buck as well.

"Just you wait, I'll get you down, too," Buck promised him. But he realised that he would not achieve anything this way. "Stop it! I told you to end the game, you mutineering-" Buck grabbed the ball, getting a little angry. "And now you do what I tell you!"

Victoria rolled her eyes. "Ay, dios mio, dame paciencia."

Buck came to to her, his vest in disarray. "Well, Victoria, boys will be boys," he apologised for the men. "But it is a stupid game. It took me a while to get their attention." He opened the suitcase. "Oh look, you got some clothes out here…"

"Stop it." His sister-in-law swatted his hands away.

"I was just trying to help, Victoria," Buck pouted. He took off his hat for protection. Suddenly he heard hoofbeat. He grinned, pointing to the front gate. "You see? There's John. Now everything's gonna be fine," he beamed.

"Fine?" Victoria asked indignantly.

Buck nodded. "Yes."

His sister-in-law took a deep breath. "Buck…"

But Buck did not listen. "You took the words right out of my mouth," he grinned at Victoria once she had finished her tirade.

His sister-in-law angrily stormed off towards the front gate.

"Victoria, don't say nothing you'll be sorry for. Victoria, don't say nothing," Buck shouted after her. He stuffed the clothes in the suitcase with a sigh. "Oh, the joys of married life. Some fiesta this is gonna be," he said sullenly and looked around for his brother-in-law. "Mano."

Manolito came to him. "Yes?"

"Come on. We are leaving." Buck turned to go to his horse.

Mano held him back. "Right now? Without a change of clothes? Without money?" he asked in confusion.

"Forget your clothes," Buck replied. He jerked his tumb in the direction of the gate, giving his friend a meaningful glance. Victoria's voice almost cracked as she read Big John the riot act.

Mano nodded, rubbing his chin. "You have a point."

"Besides, you never leave the house without a few dollars, don't you," Buck said. "For the rest we'll just hand out an IOU." He grinned suddenly. "That will give us a reason to go back into town after the fiesta."

Manolito laughed. "Hey, I like that." He jumped into his saddle and followed his best friend towards the gate.

Buck raised a hand in greeting as he rode past Big John. His brother looked at him in confusion for a moment, then began to smile. He turned to his men. "Come on, folks," he shouted. "Mount up. Let's hit the road. Pedro, you drive the buckboard."

Victoria was rendered speechless. Such a shrewd move she had not expected at all.

Buck kept riding ahead with Mano to stay out of Victoria's way. If she started bickering again, she would only spoil his mood.

xxx

The ranch hands cheered as they rode into town. Everything in Tucson was festively decorated: the houses, the streets, the people. A poster was announcing the reason for the celebration. "Peace in the Territory" was written on it in bright red letters. A mariachi band was playing Mexican music, and some people were dancing.

Big John stopped with his crew in front of the hotel. He helped his wife down from the wagon seat and went to the front desk. He asked for the rooms he had booked and handed the keys over to Sam. Then he offered Victoria his arm to lead her to his own room.

The ranch hands unloaded their stuff and were back out the door in no time. They did not want to miss even a second of the fiesta. Buck and Mano followed more sedately. They watched as the men danced down the stairs and hurried to the cantina. Reno was already strumming his guitar. Mano wistfully imagined for a moment how dashing he would look in his white shirt, had he but brought it with him. Then he dismissed the thought. Getting Victoria's attention when she was on the war path was never a good idea. Buck was right. He could simply buy a new shirt.

Blue was still hopping around in front of the stairs when his uncles reached him.

"I am sure glad Cochise said he would leave the High Chaparral in peace from now on," he heard Manolito sigh in relief.

Buck grinned. "Well, I'm gonna need a whole tub of whisky 'cause I'll celebrate up a storm."

Blue laughed. Buck opened his mouth again, but Mano put his finger to his lips and motioned for them to be quiet. He pointed to a lady who rode past them. Blue's eyes widened. He had never seen a Mexican woman riding sidesaddle before. Her mule was even led by a servant. She had to be someone important. The next moment he stiffled a laugh. A little donkey was tied to the mule and was trudging behind more or less voluntarily.

Manolito bowed. "Buenos días, señorita."

Buck tipped his hat. "Ma'am."

"Buenos días, señor," the lady replied, waving her fan. "Bonito día para la fiesta."

Blue excitedly tugged at Manolito's sleeve. "Hey, Mano. Mano, what did she say?" he wanted to know.

"Oh, nothing." Manolito waved his hand.

"Come on, tell me," urged Blue.

"She said you are the most handsome blue-eyed man in this whole county," Mano translated without blinking an eye.

Buck grinned in amusement and turned to his two companions.

"What?" Blue beamed, looking pleased as Punch.

Manolito nodded. "That's what she said."

"Mano, how do you say 'You are the most beautiful lady in the whole territory'?" Blue wanted to know eagerly.

Manolito made a serious face and spoke slowly. "Señorita- tiene usted-"

Blue put on his hat and repeated the words while Buck turned back to watch the lady on the mule.

"- la nariz-"

"What was that?" Blue asked.

"-la nariz," Mano said patiently.

"Oh. -la nariz," nodded Blue.

"-de un puerco," Mano finished his sentence.

"-de un puerto. Puerto," Blue repeated a bit perplexed.

Mano shook his head. "Puerco," he said, stressing the last syllable so that Blue would hear the difference.

Blue grinned at him."That's beautiful. I have to thank you." He slapped Mano on the back and ran to the lady.

"You are my friend," Manolito called after him with a shrug.

Buck also looked after his nephew for a moment, then turned to his brother-in-law. "Mano, I got a feeling that don't mean what he thinks it means," he grinned. He had not understood everything, but puerco meant pork, if he remembered his menu correctly.

"Well, not exactly, Buck," Mano admitted.

"What do it mean?" his friend asked again and smilingly rubbed his chin.

"I said 'Senorita, you have the head of a pimple and the nose of a pig'," Manolito said placidly.

Buck shook his head. "Aw, Mano." He nudged his friend on the shoulder, trying to look angry. But he just could not find it in him to take offense at this little joke.

"Aw, Buck," Manolito replied in the same tone. Then the row began.

Buck turned around and burst out laughing. "Aw, Blue." He pointed to the young man lying on the ground.

Mano also had to laugh. The lady ranted and raved on her mount before she motioned for her servant to move on. Buck and Mano went to their nephew.

"Poor little Blue Boy got knocked down by a pimple," Buck joked. He helped the young man to his feet and brushed the sand off Blue's clothes.

Blue held his cheek. "What did I do wrong?"

"I cannot understand it. It was such a pretty compliment," Mano stated innocently, handing Blue his hat back, and heard some women laugh in the background.

"Hey-" Blue looked angrily at Manolito.

"Blue Boy, you just can't please some women," Buck said with conviction.

His nephew held his cheek again, now looking daggers at the retreating lady.

"Come on, we got some celebrating to do," Buck said firmly and tugged Blue towards a beer booth.

Manolito spotted an acquaintance and exchanged news with the man. With half an ear he listened to Blue complaining about unavailable girls. Mano grinned. "Blue, compadre, I know a place where many girls pass."

"Where's that?" Blue asked curiously.

"The hotel," Manolito answered. "Choose any one that you like."

Blue made a puzzled face. "And what can I tell her in Spanish?" he asked.

Buck drank his beer and watched in amusement as Mano whispered something into Blue's ear. Blue smiled. That was a wonderful sentence. Mano winked at Buck as they followed their nephew towards the hotel. His grin grew wider with each second. Buck shot him a warning glance. If he did not keep it together, he would spoil the fun himself. They lounged on the railing of the balcony and watched the goings on. Mano nudged Blue in the ribs. "Do you see the girl in the red dress?" he asked, pointing her out to the young man.

"She looks gorgeous," Blue breathed. A moment later he excitedly grabbed Manolito's arm. "Hey, she coming here."

"Hola, Marie," Mano greeted the girl when her party passed them. He laughed in anticipation. Marie and her companions stayed on the balcony and talked. Some started to dance.

"Now, tell me again, but slowly," Blue demanded.

Manolito put all his charm in the sentence as he spoke the words. "Señorita," he began proudly and let the next words melt on his tongue, "usted es divina. Podría visitarla esta noche?"

Blue repeated the sentence with shining eyes. "You sure that means 'You're lovely, señorita, and I want to see you tonight'?"

Manolito put a hand on his heart and bowed slightly. "You have my solemn word."

"So I have your word," Blue double-checked.

"Yes, of course," Mano reassured him.

"All right." Satisfied at last, Blue put on his hat. "How do I look?"

"You look real manly, Blue Boy," Buck grinned and slapped his nephew on the shoulder. "Go get her." He watched him for a moment, then turned to his brother-in-law. "Okay, Mano. Now, what do it really mean? You have a face like a burro?" he asked softly and clung to Mano's arm.

"No, Buck," Manolito replied seriously. "I told the truth this time, hombre."

"Truth," Buck said in disappointment. "It's more fun when you lie."

Mano tapped his friend on the shoulder and pointed to Marie. "Look."

Blue had taken off his hat. "Señorita," he began, watching Marie's reaction, just in case. The girl looked at him kindly and nodded to him to go on. "Usted es divina," Blue continued. Marie smiled, seeming pleased. "Puedo visitarla esta noche?" he finished his sentence, looking expectantly at the girl.

Marie tugged at the sleeve of the man standing beside her. He was talking to some friends and had his back turned to her. "Me permite te presenta mi esposo?" she said, smiling at the young man who was so eager to impress her.

"Huh?" Blue looked at her blankly.

"Mi esposo", Marie repeated, still smiling.

The man turned to face them. Blue held out his hand, a broad smile on his own face. "Mucho gusto, señor."

The man slugged him. Blue stumble backwards. Buck caught his nephew in his arms while Mano grabbed Buck's glass.

"Mano, now, what did he do wrong?" Buck asked, sounding a little worried.

"I forgot to mention that the girl was recently married," Manolito burst out laughing.

Buck looked up, aghast.

"What?" Blue mumbled when he had halfway regained his senses.

Buck began to laugh. Mano raised the glass in a toast. Here is to a successful prank, he smiled cockily to himself and finished the beer in one go.

"Hey," Buck cried indignantly. "That was mine."

Mano wiped the foam from his lips. "You can have the glass back," he grinned at his best friend and pressed the empty vessel into Buck's hand.

"I need another," Buck stated firmly. A moment later his face lit up. "Come on, Blue," he smiled. "I know a girl you can have easily." He pulled his nephew, who was still a little unsteady on his feet, towards the cantina, waving for Mano to follow them.

xxx

In her hotel room, Victoria had sorted out her clothes and had changed into something more elegant. She stood in front of the mirror. "John," she asked. "John, will you help me, please?"

The rancher came to her and closed the button on her skirt. "There."

"Gracias." Victoria put her mantilla on, looked at herself critically in the mirror, then turned around to her husband. "Do you like it?"

John smiled and nodded, taking Victoria's hands. "Yes, I like it very much." He had given her the white lace blouse and the dark skirt she wore for her birthday.

His wife beamed at him. "Oh John, I'm frightened. No one has the right to be as happy as I am."

"No one has the right to be as beautiful," Big John replied seriously.

Victoria looked at him questioningly.

"You think I don't know what it's like for you here?" the rancher told her quietly. "The danger, the loneliness. And now that peace is really here, you'll have the life I always wanted you to have."

"Oh, I already have the life I wanted with you," Victoria replied softly. She embraced her husband, and John kissed her. Music flooded the room. A mariachi band was playing a lively tune that sounded as elated as Victoria felt. "Oh John, isn't it wonderful? Happy music and happy voices, happy hearts," she sighed contentedly.

"You had better go out on the balcony and enjoy it while I try to make myself presentable," John said between kisses.

"Very well," his wife nodded, pouting again.

John gave her one last kiss. "Go on," he said, trying to look stern. If she did not stop this immediately, he would have to change his underwear, too.

Victoria stepped onto the balcony and let her gaze wander over the town.

xxx

Six men took the side road to the market. They stopped under a poster that was stretched across the street and greeted everyone with "Welcome to a lasting peace".

"There's nothing I like better than a fiesta," the leader grinned and saluted two Apaches who visited the market. The two men looked timidly up to the riders and walked a little faster.

"Let's go get them, Nick," urged one of the riders.

"Something I like better is money," another concurred laconically. He was lean, wiry, and wore a dark green vest over a rust-coloured shirt. With his three-day beard, he looked like the worst kind of outlaw. He appraised the Apaches with a wolfish smile.

The leader, Nick, shook his head. "No. For three days, three glorious days, we celebrate the peace." He grinned at the man in the green vest. "And then we go to work."

Nudging their horses onwards, they rode leisurely into Tucson. They dismounted at the cantina. "Listen," Nick said to a stable boy. "If you treat the horses well, I will invite you to a beer."

The boy nodded enthusiastically, and Nick began to inspect the market booths.

xxx

Victoria watched as the people flocked to the cantina. Someone must have offered free beer, she thought. Her eyes fell on a Mexican of middle height. The man turned around, and she was able to see his face. Victoria's own face lit up in surprise. "Nick," she shouted down from the balcony.

The leader looked around. The voice seemed vaguely familiar, but he could not quite place it. "Nickanora," the woman's voice called again. "It's Victoria."

Nick raised his head, searching the balcony. He spread his arms when his eyes fell on the caller. "Victoria," he laughed, recognising her at last, and the woman ran down the stairs. Nick hurried to meet her. He embraced her and twirled her around.

Big John stood in front of the mirror when he heard the voices. He hastily adjusted his tie, then stepped onto the balcony to see what the matter was. His wife was gone. After a moment he heard her voice floating up below the street. He went downstairs. He could not understand exactly what was being said in Spanish, but then they started to talk in English.

"Incréible. Tanto tiempo. It's been much too long, much too long," John heard this Nickanora say.

"So long," Victoria laughed at the Mexican.

The rancher remained on the stairs and sullenly watched the reunion.

Nick kissed Victoria's hands. "The years have been good to you, Victoria. You look lovelier than ever."

Victoria turned to the stairs. "Oh, John, I would like you to meet a very dear friend of mine." She watched her husband stonily come to her. "Señor Nickanora. Nick, this is my husband, John Cannon," she introduced the men.

Nick gave the rancher a once-over before he held out his hand. "Señor, you are a lucky man. I never met a man more truly entitled to congratulation."

"Thank you very much," John nodded stiffly. He shook the other's hand as briefly as decency allowed.

Victoria turned back to her childhood friend. "Are you staying for the fiesta?"

The leader nodded. "As long as you are here, wild horses could not pull me away," he laughed, and Victoria laughed with him.

"Fine," Big John replied even more stiffly. "That will give us more of a chance to get acquainted." He took his wife by the arm. "Glad to have met you, sir."

Nick held up a hand as the couple made to go back to their room. "Victoria, …", John heard him tell his wife, and Victoria smiled at him.

"Adios", Nick smiled back at her before he turned to go.

"Hasta luego, Nick," Victoria called after him. She was about to go upstairs when John held her back.

"Victoria?" he asked.

His wife stopped. "Yes?"

"What was that he said to you?"

Victoria looked her husband straight in the eyes. "He just said that I truly made this a fiesta day for him. Isn't that nice?" She turned and went back to her room.

The rancher shot this Nickanora another jealous glance before he followed his wife. On the balcony he stopped again. He had recogniced Pedro's voice. Big John grinned, his spirits lifted. He had not known that Pedro could sing so badly. The ranch hand had started a veritable caterwauling with the mariachi band. John was apparently not the only one who did not like the yammering. He saw a boy setting off some fireworks on the fountain rim and then run away. The noise successfully drowned out the singing. Pedro stopped, made a dismissive gesture with his hands and went into the cantina instead. The band moved on, playing a livelier tune.

xxx

Sam waved Pedro over to the table where he was sitting with Reno and Joe. Pedro saw that Buck was sitting with Mano and Blue at the neighbouring table. Buck had a girl on his lap and kissed it with devotion. A half-empty bottle of whisky was standing before him.

"You're such a sweet thing," Buck told his girl, enraptured.

Blue also had a girl on his lap, but he only looked at her. Mano was sitting opposite from Buck and Blue. He was drinking tequila and was kissing his girl after each sip. If he kept this up, he had to be stinking drunk in about half an hour, Pedro estimated.

Buck slapped his nephew's arm. "Blue, isn't this much more fun than wrangling cattle?" he asked with a grin and kissed his girl again.

Blue nodded. "Señorita, tiene usted-" he started to tell his girl, then looked uncertainly to Mano.

Manolito quickly put down his glass and nodded encouragingly.

Blue turned back to his girl. "-la nariz de un puerco," he finished and kissed her hand.

The girl jumped up, pushed Blue from the chair and indignantly began to scold him in Spanish. Blue looked at her blankly. Mano winked at his own girl, trying desperately to stay halfway serious.

"What's the matter with her?" Blue asked blankly as his girl swept from the room.

Mano almost choked on his tequila and waved his hand dismissively.

"What am I doing wrong?" the youngest Cannon wailed. He sat back down on his chair, put his elbows on the table and stared morosely into his beer.

During this incident, Nick's men had come in and had gone straight to the bar.

"Mano," Buck said curtly as he noticed them.

"Hm?" Manolito looked up questioningly.

Buck nodded towards the counter, shot a quick glance to the ranch hands, then pushed his girl off his lap. "Excuse me, honey."

Since Buck reacted so dramatically, there must be something serious going on, Mano reckoned. He turned to the bar. "Madre de dios," he muttered when he saw the men. He turned to his own girl. "Chiquita, I will see you later." He took her by the hand and led her to the exit. Then he came to stand next to Buck. His friend was still sitting at the table, now calmly cleaning his revolver.

Sam got up from his table and went to him, too. "Hey Buck, ain't that-"

"The pride of Tombstone," Buck nodded. "Ain't never seen such a collection of famous individuals gathered under one roof." He stood up, gun in hand. "Blue Boy."

Blue looked questioningly at his uncle.

"The brawny one at the end is Burt Alvord. Likes to shoot folks in the back," Buck told him.

Alvord turned around. He was as massive as a bull. He had a square face and piercing eyes that were now fixedly staring at Blue. The boy swallowed nervously.

Sam took Buck's hat from the hook by the door. "This is supposed to be a peace celebration, Buck," he said calmly, put the hat on Buck's head and pulled the hat string taut.

"Yeah, much obliged, Sam," Buck thanked him, and the foreman did not quite know how to take this comment. "Well, the fella standing next to him there, you know him, don't you, Blue?" Buck asked his nephew.

"I know him?" Blue asked meekly.

Buck nodded. "Yes."

"Uncle Buck-" Blue began, but his uncle already continued.

"Well, that fella next to him is ole Buckskin Frank Leslie hisself."

Buckskin Frank turned around. He seemed older than the rest of the bunch. His mustache and his hair were white. He wore a corduroy shirt and a rusty brown vest. A slight smile creased his face.

"Now, that's what I call a real bad man." Buck, too, grinned slightly. "Why, long side of him, a sidewinder is as trustworthy as a Sunday school teacher."

Manolito watched his brother-in-law making introductions. Mano himself had, at best, seen these gentlemen on wanted posters, but Buck seemed to know them all personally.

"Next to ole Buckskin, there is Ike Simes." Buck continued, pressing his lips together. "The less you say about him, the better."

Ike turned around. He was the wiry one in the green vest that had grinned at the Apaches so wolfishly when he had ridden into town with the others. Ike glared around the cantina. He noticed that he was not welcome. Buck's opinion seemed to pull a lot of weight in this town.

Reno jabbed Pedro in the ribs with his elbow. "Here we go again," he whispered.

"Yes," Pedro sighed. Knowing without a doubt what the near future had in store for them, he would have liked to vacate the premises. There was only one problem. How would that look to Buck?

"But I can't place that ugly fella," Buck was heard again. "Mano?" he asked his best friend.

"No." Manolito shook his head, coming up blank himself. He looked more closely at the broad back and the tattered corduroy jacket and raised a hand. "Un momento, that is obviously-"

Buck closed his eyes. "Wait a minute. Don't tell me, Mano."

Manolito began to grin. "I know it," he said excitedly.

"Don't tell me," his friend repeated. The man at the bar straightened up. Buck sucked in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Good gracious. Curly Bill Brocias," he announced. "I ain't too good on faces, but I never forget a smell."

The outlaw turned around, his face clenched into a fist. Buck looked at him just as snidely. "Curly Bill there, he works both sides of the law."

Blue looked up questioningly again.

"Depending on which side pays him the most," his uncle explained with a mighty scowl on his face. "Hey, Curly Bill, which side you on now?" Buck called over to the bar.

Curly put a hand on his revolver.

"Can't you take a joke, Curly?" the man standing beside him at the counter hissed. He was slender, almost skinny. He was wearing black pants, a purple shirt and sleeve holders so that his sleeves would not get in the way when he drew his revolver.

"I'm gonna blow him in half," Curly Bill hissed back.

"No gun play, Curly," his neighbour replied adamantly. This little introduction round was Buck's way to let them know about the dynamics of the situation. There were six men in the cantina who were loyal to Buck. And all of them already had their hands on their guns. The bullets would be flying so fast, Curly probably would not even get near his revolver.

"Now, wait a minute, Johnny," Curly Bill flared up.

Johnny raised his left hand. Three fingers were pointing upward, his little finger and his ring finger were pointing downward. He looked sharply at Curly. That must be a signal, Manolito thought, since Curly Bill instantly turned back to the counter.

Buck holstered his own gun. "Well," he told his nephew. "Now you've seen the best and the worst of the lot, depending on how you look at it." Mano wondered about Buck's phrasing. Had he ever looked at them from on the other side of the law?

"But next to the Apach, there stands the greatest fighting man in the land," Buck continued, and suddenly admiration coloured his voice. "Blue Boy, you are looking at the one - the only - Johnny Ringo."

Suddenly Blue's scalp itched, and his hair stood on end. His uncle was not only on speaking terms but was even friends with the fastest gunslinger of all times? He stood up and looked at the five men as if they had just challenged him to a duel.

"Howdy, Johnny." Buck greeted the gunslinger amiably and tipped his hat.

"Buck", Ringo nodded back briefly.

So they were still friends, Ringo thought in surprise. Although Buck was now a respected man, or had at least found honest work. All his other acquaintances who had undergone such a transformation had turned their backs on him.

Blue's heart skipped several beats as he saw his uncle walk towards the bar, taking up position right behind Curly.

"Curly Bill, you didn't answer me," Buck said firmly.

His back muscles twitching, the man glared over the counter. Ringo saw that he was looking frantically for an appropriate insult.

"He's on the side of the law, Buck. We're all on the side of the law," Ringo replied evenly, staring straight ahead.

Mano laughed, took a few steps and came to stand beside his best friend. "That's the funniest thing I ever heard."

Buck could not help it. He just had to provoke Curly. He grinned at Mano. "Yeah, that's funny."

He had guessed correctly. Curly turned and slugged him. Buck went down. Curly Bill brought his fist back on course to take on Manolito, but Mano ducked. Curly's blow went awry. When the outlaw had regained his balance, Buck was back on his feet and hit Curly on the chin. All of a sudden the remaining guests jubilantly joined in. The girls on the other hand ran screaming from the cantina.

Joe grabbed a man from behind who was about to hit Reno. "Let go of my friend," Joe hissed and took on the man himself.

Reno barely found the time to thank Joe before he got drawn into the next fight.

"Señores. Señores, this is a peace celebration," the barkeeper shouted through the cantina, wringing his hands. Nobody listened to him.

Ringo watched from a booth near the bar as Buck fought Curly Bill, Sam fought Burt Alvord, Blue fought Ike Simes, and Manolito fought Buckskin.

Blue grabbed a chair, swung it over his head - and hit a drunk who was unsteadily making his way towards the door. The man - he was as tall and as massive as Alvord but not half as militant- straightened his hat and looked at Blue with round eyes, swaying like a leave.

"Sorry," Blue muttered. This moment of inattention earned him another uppercut from Ike.

The drunk opened the door.

"Hey, no running away," someone shouted from the back of the cantina.

Blue managed to inadvertently correct the perceived cowardness. He slugged Ike so hard that the outlaw fell through the door against the drunk. The man waved his arms like a windmill before he hit the ground. Blue raced around him and followed Ike with flying fists. They crashed into the fruit stand in front of the cantina. The rest of the brawlers followed them outside.

"Arriba!" Manolito called cheerfully from the other side of the cantina's entrance. He had just managed to heave Buckskin over the hithing rack.

"Play nice, Mano. Don't hurt him," Buck admonished his friend, still busy fighting Curly Bill.

"No way. Get up, Buckskin," Mano replied. Buck watched as Mano helped his opponent to his feet and positioned the man in front of him. "Arriba," he laughed at Frank, swung his fist and slugged the man again.

Buck laughed. Curly Bill took his chance and administered a blow that threw Buck against the wall. Curly took Buck by the lapels of his vest and brought him back on his feet.

"Ain't this fun?" Buck grinned at the outlaw and struck back. Taken by surprise, Curly fell.

Mano was not quite as lucky as his best friend. He took a hit himself and fell backwards against the hitching rack. He clung to it in exhaustion.

"Now it's my turn," Buckskin grinned, rubbing his hands with glee and bringing his fist on course.

"No, no, Buckskin," Manolito protested. He had barely recovered enough to slide to the side when he saw Buckskin coming towards him, and Frank fell for the second time over the hitching rack.

"Arriba!" Mano cheered once more. The world had ceased to spin, and he got back to his feet. He watched the drunk whoi had just managed to get up from the ground. The next instant Sam fell against the man and clung to him. Sam held his breath. The smell alone would be enough to knock him out. He was downright grateful when Burt Alvord pulled him away. Sam blocked the blow Alvord had intended for him and struck out himself.

xxx

Nick had stood quitely on the stairs of the hotel and had thought of Victoria. When he heard the noise, he looked up. A fistfight was in full swing and had attracted a considerable number of spectators. Nick laughed. The man clad all in black had to be Buck Cannon. Nick had not met him yet, but he had heard of him. And he knew that Mano was living on the Cannon ranch. It seemed Manolito had found a friend who happily joined in his pranks. Or maybe even surpassed them.

Nick went to the brawlers. "Hey, alto, muchachos, alto," he called out to his men. "Hey, hombre," he greeted Buck, shaking the man's hand.

To Manolito it looked as if Buck was being attacked. Since Buckskin had let go of him, Mano turned to the newcomer, raising his fist. Nickanora turned around. Manolito paused in surprise. "Nick," he called out a moment later, looking pleased.

Nick gave him a hug. "Hey, Manolito."

"Qué alegría." Mano shook his old friend's hand. Then he turned to his brother-in-law who looked at him blankly. "Buck, I want you to meet a good friend of mine. Nickanora. Nick, Buck Cannon."

Buck shook Nick's hand smilingly. "Any friend of Mano's is a friend of mine."

"I believe you have already met my friends." Nick gestured casually to the men who had taken up position behind Buck.

Buck made another uncomprehending face. "Er- huh?" He turned briefly to Ringo, who was standing between Alvord and Curly Bill. Curly Bill was rubbing his neck.

"My friends," Nickanora repeated.

Buck turned back to him. He pointed with his thumb over his shoulder at the three outlaws. "Them your friends?"

"Well, shall we say- business associates," Nick corrected himself a little sheepishly when he saw Manolito's surprised look.

"Well, maybe you should get these law-busting citizens out of town before somebody gets busted up pretty bad," Buck suggested.

"We are not law-busters, señor," Nickanora grinned, fumbling a badge from his pocket and attaching it to his vest. "We are the law."

Buck's jaw fell open. "What? How? "He turned to Ringo who opened his vest to let Buck see his own badge.

"I brought them here to make sure there is no violation of the peace treaty," Nickanora explained.

"Wait a minute," Buck interrupted him slowly. "Who give them murdering gunfighters the authority?"

"I did, amigo," Nickanora said matter-of-factly, pointing his thumb at his chest. "I did."

Buck turned back to Ringo who cocked his head, looking at him half mockingly, half amused.

Buck rubbed his chin. "Ay." He had started a fight with the law. Nickanora could have them all thrown into jail for that. Then they would only hear reports about the fiesta instead of experiencing it firsthand. But he probably would not even make it to the cell, Buck thought morosely, because the others would lynch him on the spot. Buck thought it better to retreat. He waved to Mano and the ranch hands to follow him to the hotel.

xxx

Over the course of the next two days, while celebrating, Buck made sure they did not run again into 'them murdering gunfighters', as he had dubbed them. He would not have avoided Ringo, but Ringo seemed to avoid him. On their last evening, however, Lady Luck left them. Buck was sitting with Mano, Blue, John and Victoria in the hotel restaurant, having dinner. They had already finished their dessert when he saw Nickanora and Ringo come in. Buck tapped Mano on the shoulder. The High Chaparral ranch hands looked up as well. They were sitting two tables away from Big John. They watched Ringo and Nick taking off their weapons at the door and the waiter leading them to the neighbouring table. The rest of Nick's bunch had already taken their seats there.

"Buenas noches, señores," Nickanora greeted the Cannons. Buck raised his cup and drank. Nick regarded that as an invitation and stopped behind Victoria's chair. "Señora."

"Buenas noches, Nick," Victoria smiled at him.

Nick and Ringo took their places, but Nick immediately turned his chair around.

"I can't believe it, Victoria. You truly look more beautiful than ever," he began haltingly, trying to get a conversation going.

Embarrassed, Victoria waved her fan. "You were always gallant, Nickanora."

His brother made a rather sullen face, Buck suddenly noticed. John must have met this Nickanora himself during these last three days. And judging from his expression, he had not been smitten by the encounter. Buck supposed he did not need to keep his opinion to himself, then.

"Do you remember I once told you I would follow you to the ends of the earth?" Buck heard Nickanora tell his sister-in-law.

Victoria looked stunned at first, then glanced at her husband apologetically. John's scowl deepened.

Nick smiled. "And then I find you here in the middle of the desert without even trying."

Ringo, too, watched the events unfold. Buck rolled his eyes. Manolito also shook his head, but he was still smiling a little.

Nick forced a laugh. He threw Ringo an uncertain glance and started to sweat. "Life is very strange," he sighed.

Ringo saw the indignant faces of the Cannons. "And sometimes very short, Nick," he warned.

Nickanora fell silent for a moment, then he laughed again. "Well, if I talk too much, Victoria, it's only because seeing you again brings back so many, many happy memories."

Victoria began to smile a little, thinking of those memories. Buck on the other hand leaned his elbows on the table and rested his head in his hand, looking more than annoyed.

"Memories from or childhood often make us act like children. They are only pictures that we paint of what we think we remember," Victoria haltingly apologised for her childhood friend. "John, the dinner is excellent, isn't it?" she mentioned to her husband in an attempt to steer the conversation in another direction.

"Yes. Yes, it's excellent," Big John replied curtly.

Nick finally turned to his own table. Victoria looked at her brother in relief and reached for her cup again.

But now Big John leaned over to Nickanora's table. "What are those badges you are wearing? I don't recall I've ever seen one before." He squinted at the letters. "What are the Tombstone Rangers?"

Buck almost choked on his last piece of cake. Did his brother try to provoke a fight in the hotel?

Nickanora turned his chair around again instantly. This time he sat almost beside Victoria. "It's an organization created to preserve the peace and protect the people of the territory," he explained eagerly.

Big John raised his head. "Protect them from what?"

"We are scalp hunters, Mr. Cannon," Ringo put in firmly.

The restaurant grew suddenly silent. Victoria looked at Manolito in shock. Big John made a grim face.

"Well," Buck said softly. His brother stared at him as if he was about to demand an apology for the fact that he even knew such people.

John turned to Nickanora. "You let me tell you something, mister," he told the man with restrained anger. "We have made our peace with the Apaches. The fighting and the bloodshed is over with."

Nick shook his head firmly. "The fighting will never be over."

Victoria looked at him in disappointment.

"Scalp hunters, huh?" Buck said softly, making a derisive face.

Offended, Nickanora took a deep breath. "Señor, I belong to a proud family," he explained. " Our lands once stretched farther than the eye could see. It's all gone now, destroyed by the Apache. It's all gone." He looked at Mano as if he blamed him for that. Or as if he were jealous that the Montoyas had kept their lands.

Buck stared daggers at Nickanora. "A lot of folks have died out here, red and white and a lot of colours in between. And mister, it never made bounty hunters out of us," he said through clenched teeth. He began to warm to the idea of another fight. But he realised that this would not make the man see reason.

"Anyway, we got- we got peace now," Blue murmured, staring fixedly on his plate.

"Mi amigo, he is right," Manolito agreed with the boy.

Nickanora stood up, stubbornly shaking his head. "No, there is no peace. Not on my side of the border. Every Apache scalp brought in is worth two hundred dollars. And by all that is holy, I am going to make every penny that was lost to me. Every penny," he declared grimly.

Big John rose as well. "What you do on your side of the border is your business .But what you do on this side is ours. When we first settled here, we had no peace. But we have it now, and I intend to keep hat peace." He leaned on the back of his chair and glared at Nickanora. "Do I make mysef clear to you?"

"John." Victoria took her husband's arm, rising herself.

The rancher put his arm around her waist and led her from the restaurant. The High Chaparral crew followed suit. Buck pushed past Nickanora. "Excuse me, sir," he spat, throwing his napkin on the table.

Nick watched the men of the High Chaparral go, then turned to his own bunch. He sat astride his chair and glared at Ringo. The gunslinger stared back in calm silence.

"You don't like life much, do you, Johnny?" Nickanora asked menacingly.

Ringo allowed himself a slight smile. "What is there to like, Nick?"

"Why did you tell him what we are doing?" the leader flared up.

"Because I like to have things out in the open," Ringo replied firmly. He adjusted his chair and looked earnestly down onto the table. "When are we riding, Nick?"

"Tonight we enjoy ourselves, Johnny," the leader decreed, and Ringo threw him a bored look. "Tomorrow morning early we go to work."

xxx

Joe looked sullenly out of the hotel room's window. It was almost dawn. The wind had cut loose the poster "Peace in the territory" and dragged it through the dust. The poster clearly knew how much it was worth: not a farthing, Joe thought sarcastically. Reno had just brought him the news. Nickanora's men had left town. Joe sighed. He went into the next room to wake Blue. At the door he stopped. He had heard murmurs. Had Blue managed to find himself a girl, after all? He tiptoed into the room and began to grin. Blue was dreaming and was kissing his pillow. Joe crept closer. Now he was able to understand what Blue was muttering.

"Your hair is so soft, and it smells so good." Blue pressed his pillow to his face. "Oh, that's wonderful, lying here with you. I never felt so comfortable in my life."

Joe looked at Blue in amazement. Holy handgranade. Had the boy sneaked a peek at one of his dime novels? He knocked on the door to make himself known, but Blue did not wake up. Joe touched the boy's arm. Blue began to stroke Joe's gloved hand. "Let me kiss your velvet hands," he murmured ecstatically and pressed his lips onto the rough leather. This went too far. Joe lifted the mattress, and Blue fell out of bed. The boy was suddenly wide awake. "Hey," he protested.

Joe leaned on the mattress, grinning. "Get your breeches on, Blue darling. We're heading out."

"What for?" Blue asked blankly.

Joe looked at him seriously. "Nickanora."

"What did he do?" Blue wanted to know.

"He left two hours ago. We heard it from one of the stable hands. He and the rest of his cut-throat friends." Joe held out the pants to Blue. "Come on, let's go. Sam has already woken Big John. We just need to find Buck and Mano, then we're ready."

xxx

Buck and Manolito were lying side by side in the bathhouse, each in a tub. Buck had had no desire to listen to the ranch hands snoring while his headache developped and had suggested they pay a visit to the bathhouse instead. It would be quiet there. And since they wanted to go there anyway before they rode homeward, they would save themselves a trip. Buck hung his towel over his head and fell asleep almost immediately in his tub. Then he began to snore. Mano had not got so drunk as his friend and was halfway awake already. He was singing "Questa o quella", an aria from the opera Rigoletto. He had watched said opera recently when the travelling theater had come to Tucson.

„Questa o quella per me pari sono "This girl or that, neither is any different

A quant'altre d'intorno mi vedo; from the rest I see around me.

Del mio core l'impero non cedo I never yield my heart

Meglio ad una che ad altra beltà. to one beauty more than another."

Mano had kissed so many girls during the last three days, and it had been so much fun. The duke in the opera must be right, he thought. He took the brush and began to scrub his back. The barber came with a pot and offered him some more hot water. Mano shook his head. "No no no," he said in his best singing voice, pointing at the tub beside him. "Mi amigo, por favor."

The barber tipped the hot water into Buck's tub. Buck's snoring ceased, he choked and woke up. "What you trying to do?" he coughed sleepily. "Burn me alive?"

"El baño caliente es muy confortable, señor", the barber explained.

"Oh, sí sí," Mano put in hastily, and the man went back to his boiling water.

Blue came marching in. He had heard the voices outside. "So this is where you two sidewinders been hiding out, huh?"

Mano grinned at him.

"All right, rise and shine," Blue ordered. "We're going out."

"What?" Mano asked. "In the middle of the night?"

Blue shoved his hat back a little. "In the middle of the night. Amigo, it's going on six o'clock in the morning. Let's go."

Buck looked at Mano sleepily and did not move.

"Go? Go where?" Manolito asked, sounding less than enthusiastic.

"Nickanora and his men left two hours ago," Blue informed them.

"Why do we have to go after them, Blue Boy?" Buck wanted to know. "That's what they got the army for," he reasoned.

"Right," Mano agreed with his best friend and looked up stubbornly.

"Uncle Buck, first time an Apache sees a blue uniform, they're gonna think we're declaring war," Blue explained impatiently. "Mano?"

"Hm?" Mano continued to dreamily scrub his back.

"You're gona ride back to the ranch," Blue told him.

"What for?" Mano asked, his expression making it clear that he would not give up his comfortable bath in a hurry.

Blue grinned. "Well, you see, Pedro's driving Victoria back, and my Pa-" Manolito snorted, sinking down to his head into the warm water. Blue lightly knocked him on the temple. "You know Big John. I know he'd just love to have you ride back with them."

"I will have a talk with your father," Mano promised him. Then they would see who took his sister home.

Blue turned around. "Yeah, you do that," he said in relief. "All right, put your clothes on.'' He was almost out the door when he paused and squinted towards the barber. He came back to the man and tapped him on the shoulder. "Amigo, you speak English?" he asked.

The barber nodded. "Sí, señor."

Blue looked briefly to the tubs. "Tell me. What does this mean? 'Señorita, tiene usted la nariz de un puerco'," he asked quietly.

The man began to laugh. "Señor, it means 'Senorita, you have a nose like a pig'," he said and then virtually doubled over with laughter.

Blue made an indignant face. His eyes fell on the bucket with hot water. He put a hand on the barber's shoulder. "Excuse me." Blue grabbed the bucket. "Gracias," he said with flashing eyes.

The barber watched him blankly. "Para qué?" he asked.

Blue went back to the tubs. Mano was singing again. Blue tipped the bucket over, pouring the scalding water into Mano's tub. Manolito let loose a scream and suddenly straightened up.

"A nose like a pig, huh?" Blue's indignant voice sounded from the hallway as the boy left the bathhouse.

Buck laughed. Manolito had to laugh as well after a moment. He began to splash water to Buck. His friend retaliated by splattering him with whisky. But then Manolito could stand it no longer. "Señor, my towel, please," he called to the barber and stood, his face red.

xxx

Buck groaned as they left the bathhouse. The morning sun stung his eyes; his stomach rebelled. Buck gritted his teeth and called his belly to order. His stomach thought briefly of mutiny, but calmed when Buck got on his horse and rode carefully. Mano rode alongside him, feeling a bit concerned. He had not seen his best friend with such a hangover in a long time. Buck had lived for two days abstinent - in his book, anyway - and had watched Nickanora from a reasonably safe distance. But on the third night he had finally relaxed and got down to celebrating.

At the meeting point Buck stopped a little apart from the ranch hands and protectively put a hand over his eyes. Victoria was sitting with Pedro on the wagon seat. Buck would have envied them if his pride would have let him.

"Pedro, would you and Manolito see that Victoria gets home safely," Big John asked.

"Sí, señor," nodded Pedro.

Manolito, his hat in his hand, rode up to the rancher. "Big John, it's very bad that you break your promise," he began sternly.

John looked at him questioningly. "What promise are you talking about?"

"Well, to stay the whole three days of the fiesta," Manolito said in disappointment. "But now you send me back, just when life might become more interesting."

John looked at him seriously. "Manolito, I would feel a lot easier knowing you were with Victoria," he replied.

Mano grimaced, but Victoria was his sister. As her brother he had certain obligations. "Okay," he finally nodded, heaving a sigh of resignation.

Victoria smiled at him gratefully.

"Get going, Pedro," Big John ordered.

"Sí, señor." Pedro drove off, and Mano followed.

John watched the three of them go. "The nearest Apache settlement of any size is Delchay's," he said after a moment's thought. "It is my guess that's the first place those scalp hunters will hit." He looked at his brother who was looking decidedly the worse for wear. "What do you think?"

"You're right, John," Buck agreed with him, his eyes closed and rubbing his forehead.

"Buck, nobody asked you to drink the whole town dry, you know," the rancher grinned at his brother.

"Well, it's not a question of asking, John. It's a point of honour. What else could a man do?" Buck countered, his eyes still closed. "Promise me one thing, John," he groaned. "When I fall off this here horse and lie down in the dust and die, don't ever look back."

Blue laughed. The ranch hands grinned.

"I won't," Big John reassured his brother with a smile. "You just hang on. Let's move, boys."

They spurred their horses on. Sam brought up the rear and watched Buck with a critical eye. At first it seemed as if Buck really could not stay in the saddle, but then he pulled himself together and finally even made a halfway decent figure.

xxx

On the way home Victoria stared thoughtfully off into the distance. Suddenly she turned to her brother. "I don't understand," she began, shaking her head. "I wonder why Nickanora has changed so much. I know a lot of people who lost as much, and they didn't turn bad."

Mano shrugged. "Well, to blame it on anything or anyone other that Nick is wrong, Victoria."

"But when he was young, he was not cruel, Manolito," his sister remarked meekly.

"There had to be," Mano told her.

"But there wasn't," Victoria burst out.

Her brother shook his head. "It had to be there," he insisted. "It's just that we were not looking for it. That is all."

Victoria looked at him sadly. Manolito avoided her eyes. He did not feel exactly cheerful himself that his friend had changed for the worst. He saw an Apache girl run up to the road. She must be about four years old, Mano estimated. Tears were running down her cheeks.

"Stop." Manolito motioned for Pedro to bring the buckboard to a halt.

"Ho." Pedro reined in.

The girl looked to Mano, then ran away. Manolito followed her on Mackadoo.

"Anda, Pedro. Apurate. Vamos," Victoria ordered, and the buckboard started moving again.

The girl stopped next to a bush beside the road. Mano dismounted, spoke reassuringly to her and walked slowly towards her. He made the peace sign and bent down to her. The girl made to run away again, but Mano caught her by the arms. She began to talk. Manolito winced. He hugged her and stroked her hair. Then he took her by the hand and led her to the buckboard.

"Mano, what is it? What is she doing all alone?" Victoria asked worriedly.

Manolito looked up grimly. "Her mother and father were murdred by some men. Six white men. And they were scalped."

"Nickanora," Victoria whispered in shock.

Mano nodded seriously. "This little one ran away. Maybe she was too little to bother with." Or someone had let her escape, he thought. "She has come a long way, Victoria."

"Manolo, bring her here. I will take care of her," Victoria said and held out her arms for the child.

Mano lifted the girl on the wagon seat.

"Pobrecita, ven aquí." Victoria put her arms around the girl and hugged her. "It's all right," she said quietly, stroking the child's hair.

"If the Apache find out about this before we get to Nickanora, there will be no peace," Manolito spoke up seriously. He thought for a moment. "I want you to take her back to the ranch and keep her there. I'm going after Nick myself."

Victoria shook her head. "You can't go alone against six men," she said worriedly.

"Victoria, please." Mano could not afford long debates. He had no time to lose if he wanted to catch Nick.

"No, Manolo," his sister commanded.

"I have to go," Manolito insisted.

Victoria shook her head once more. "You have to go get John. Right now," she urged.

"There's no time for that," Mano said hastily. "I'm closer to Nick than they are. Adios." He went to Mackadoo and rode away without a backward glance.

"Manolo", his sister called after him. "Manolo, ven aquí." She turned to Pedro with a heart-felt sigh. "Pedro, ayudame."

The girl jumped off the buckboard. She would have stayed with the nice man who spoke her language, but not with the strange woman.

Victoria noticed too late that the child was no longer sitting beside her. "Niña," she called after the girl and took the reins. "Pedro, go get her. She's getting away. Hurry up."

Pedro got half off the buckboard - and got back up.

"Apurate," Victoria ordered impatiently.

"Un momento, señora. Un momento." Pedro took the reins back from her. "I am not to leave you alone."

"I have the rifle," Victoria barked, pointing to the weapon at her feet.

"Yes," Pedro nodded. "But my job is to see you safely back."

Victoria sulked for the rest of the way.

xxx

The scalp hunters had stopped for breakfast in a stone circle. Most had refilled their cup and had settled down at some distance from the fire. Nickanora had just fed his horse when Buckskin approached him.

"Hey, Nick," he said, grinning broadly. "Those two scalps we got times two hundred. How much is that split six ways?"

Nick squatted by the fire beside Ike. "Ah, six ways, er- seventy dollars," he announced.

"Sure ain't gonna get rich that way," Ike put in sullenly. "When are we gonna hit Delchay's?"

Nick took his cup and poured himself some more coffee. "Tonight."

"Man oh man, there must be a hundred of them, anyway," Curly Bill grinned. He was sitting on the rock on which Ringo and Alvord leaned and sipped his coffee with relish.

Buckskin turned to Curly. "Say, a hundred times two hundred. How much is that?" he asked with shining eyes.

"Enough to buy a pine box to bury you in, Buckskin," Ringo said with a smile.

Frank looked at him sullenly. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"You know, they're gonna expect us to hit Delchay first," Ringo told them. "Why do what's expected of us?"

"We hit it when I say," Nickanora spoke up hotly. "And that is tonight."

Ringo lowered his cup. "What kind of flowers do you want me to send?" he asked calmly.

Nick rose. "You ride with me, Ringo. You do what I say," he ordered.

Ringo stood up as well, dumping the rest of his coffee onto the ground. "I don't ride with you any more." He took a few steps to the side until he had the rocks in his back and Nick's bunch in front of him.

Nick looked at him silently. Ringo's face suddenly became expressionless. Nickanora believed the gunman wanted to shoot it out. He swallowed. He opened his mouth to ask Ringo to think about it. But Ringo put his finger to his lips. He pointed to the rocks, then motioned for Buckskin and Curly Bill to follow him. Someone was sneaking up on them, Nick thought in relief. He gestured to Ike and Burt to sit down with him at the fire. Ringo silently crept up the rocks. He saw Manolito who had come from the other side and made his way to the edge.

Mano lay down on the rocks and cocked his rifle. He froze when he heard two revolvers being cocked behind him.

"If you're staying for supper, I hope you brought your own beans," Ringo said placidly behind him.

Manolito turned, raising his hands. "I have already eaten. Gracias," he laughed.

Ringo nodded to Curly and Buckskin, and the two outlaws pulled Manolito to his feet. Nick rose with Burt and Ike. Together they looked up at the rock.

"Hey Nick, amigo," Mano grinned down to the fire. Buckskin and Curly gave him a push, and Manolito tumbled off the rock. He cried out as he fell. He hit the bottom with a moan and lay there, stunned.

Nick laughed. "I'm so happy you dropped in," he exclaimed enthusiastically. Ringo, Curly and Buckskin came down the rocks, taking up oposition behind Manolito.

Mano threw his hat aside and finally sat up, starting to laugh, too. "Oh hombre, glad to see you," he told Nick. He began to feel the bruises. When he was sure that he had not broken anything, he stood. "Hey, you know why I'm here? It's John Cannon. He does not like drinking at his rancho, so I asked myself Manolito, what are you doing chasing cows around this country and taking orders from this gringo John Cannon, you know?"

That was the dumbest excuse he had ever heard, Ringo grinned to himself. Even Nick would not be stupid enough to believe him.

"Then I said to myself ride with your good friend Nicko," Manolito went on, still laughing. "That is much fun and plenty dinero."

Nickanora beamed. "Manolito, to have an old friend coming to ride by my side once more is an honour."

"Gracias." Mano spread his arms.

"I am speechless with pleasure and pride," Nick continued pompously. He half turned to Ike and Burt as if he wanted to show off in front of them, but the next moment he swung his fist.

Manolito went down. After a moment he sat up. His eyes fell on Buckskin who was training his revolver on him. Mano turned his head to look at Ringo. The gunslinger shot quick glances towards the rest of the gang, admonishing Manolito wordlessly to stand down. Mano remained seated and looked to Nick.

"Are you sober now?" the leader asked mockingly.

Manolito shrugged. "I always have to try, Nick," he grinned.

The leader shook his head sternly. "It is bad manners, Manolito, to call on a friend with a rifle pointed at his heart."

"Yes," Manolito nodded meekly.

"Bad lucky to get caught with it," Ringo put in.

Mano sighed, nodding again.

"And very foolish not to pull the trigger when you had the chance," Nickanora hissed.

Manolito's head shot up. He looked at his former friend in apprehension.

"Adios, compadre. I will miss you." The leader nodded to Curly Bill. Curly cocked his rifle, the barrel aimed at Mano's head. Manolito moved restlessly.

"Now, make your peace with God," Nickanora told Mano.

"Hey, un momento." Manolito grinningly held out a hand towards Nick. "You know, that could take a while. There is so much he has to forgive."

"I wouldn't shoot him, Nick," Ringo said firmly.

"I'm not asking you to," the leader retorted. "Curly." Curly Bill aimed his rifle, and Nick turned to go back to the fire.

Ringo thought feverishly what he could do. Buck would shoot them all for this. Besides, he liked the young Montoya, somehow. He sighed inwardly. Buck's saying probably went both ways. Buck's friends were also his friends.

"Hold it," Ringo spoke up again. Nick stopped and looked questioningly at the gunslinger. "Dead he is no good to us. Alive he is a hostage if the army comes after us," Ringo pointed out.

"Right," Manolito nodded eagerly.

"Yeah, he's right," Buckskin concurred, jerking his thumb at Ringo.

"Think it over, Nick," Ringo said callously. "You can always shoot him later."

Manolito froze. He looked up at Ringo in trepidation. The gunslinger grinned back at him, seeming to enjoy this way too much for Manolito's taste. Mano turned his head away and looked to the leader, awaiting the verdict.

Nickanora hesitated for a moment. "Tie him up," he finally ordered and went to the fire.

Buckskin and Ike pulled Mano to his feet. They tied his hands behind his back, then dragged him to a rock and tied him to it.

xxx

While Manolito paid Nickanora a visit, Blue did the scouting. Since Buck was barely managing to stay on his horse, Big John had assigned Buck's usual task to Blue. This was a good exercise for the boy, Big John thought. He stopped when he saw that his son was returning.

"Ho." Blue reined in his horse. "Looks like smoke six or seven miles up ahead, Pa," he reported eagerly.

Big John looked at his brother who nodded imperceptibly. "Let's go," the rancher commanded, and they galloped in the direction Blue had just come from.

xxx

Ringo got up from the fire and wandered with his cup over to Manolito. The young Montoya looked ready to faint in the blazing sun that burned down on him. Ringo held out his cup. Manolito stared at the gunslinger in astonishment. Ringo put the cup to his lips, and Mano drank.

"Muchas gracias," Manolito sighed.

Ringo nodded. "De nada."

Mano smiled at him. "I also owe you a gracias from before. For my life."

Ringo took another sip. "Uh uh." He shook his head. "I was thinking of my life. You know, it's always convenient to have a back door when you go into a fight. Especially if you're outnumbered. You should have thought of that before you rode in here alone."

"I thought of only one thing," Mano replied grimly, remembereing the Apache girl who would have to grow up without her parents. He looked in Nickanora's direction. "To get him."

"Well, I've been thinking of that myself for quite a while," Ringo admitted softly.

Mano looked at him blankly. "Then why do you-?"

"The money," Ringo cut him off. "Scalp hunting pays very well."

Manolito laughed. "You know, I have heard many legends about you, Johnny. One of them says you are looking for death. Is that true?"

"I died a long time ago." The gunslinger dismissed the question with a shrug, calmly sipping his coffee.

"A dead man does not give water to a man, or tries to make him comfortable - I think," Manolito said thoughtfully. He laughed again as the gunslinger did not respond. "Now, me, I want to live. I want to live to be er-" Mano hesitated, "the oldest man in the world," he finally announced.

At the sound of the drums, Nickanora jumped up as if stung by a bee. "Listen," he breathed, looking restlessly to the mountains in the background. The drums sounded again.

"They must have found those two Indians they were looking for," Ringo finally surmised.

"Yeah," Manolito nodded. "I read the drums as another language. One moment. They say the tribes must get together- and search out the scalp hunters."

"You are lying, Manolo," Nickanora countered.

Mano began to grin. "Why should I? You will find out soon enough when the Apache ride down on you. The three of us can die happy men," he told Nick cheerfully. "I will be happy that you are dead. You will be happy that I am dead. And Johnny will be happy that he is finally - truly - dead," Manolito laughed, and Ringo grinned wordlessly back. Mano became serious again. "But hombres, I know a way out. I know this country like the Apache. Trust me, and I can find a way out for all of us."

Nick did not answer.

xxx

The High Chaparral crew stopped and listened to the sounds as well.

"Drums over there." Sam nodded to their right.

"Yes," Blue agreed. "Sure wish I could understand them," he said in frustration.

John gave his brother a once-over, but Buck was still suffering from his drinking spree. John saw that he listened but realised that Buck could not really concentrate. "I hope that Nickanora hasn't attacked someplace else. Those drums could mean the tribes are gathering. Let's go," the rancher ordered.

They rode on, towards Nick's resting place. Nickanora had assigned Ike, Frank and Curly Bill to do guard duty on the rock. He did not want any surprises. If Manolito had appeared, the others could not be far behind, he reckoned. The three outlaws saw the riders coming. They threw themselves flat onto the rock and watched the men ride past. Then they hurried to the fire.

"Johnny, Nick. Riders," Buckskin said curtly.

"Apache?" the leader asked and went to stand in front of Mano.

Buckskin shook his head. "No, it's Cannon and his crew."

Nickanora drew his revolver. "Untie him," he told Alvord. Then he took Manolito's arm and nodded to the rock. "Go up there so that they can see you."

xxx

Big John rode around the smoke with his men. They stopped abruptly behind some rocks when hey spotted Mano's horse.

"Joe, Reno," John called and motioned for the two ranch hands to get the horses out of shooting range.

Buck looked up. He had noticed a movement. The image was blurred but cleared up gradually. He was verging on sober, Buck thought and looked again towards the rocks. "Hey, that 's Manolito, I think, ain't it?" he said in dismay. Mano was standing on the highest point of the rock, flanked by Nick's men. Buck worriedly rubbed his brow.

"They must have Victoria, too," Blue concluded.

"No," Big John replied thoughtfully. "If they had her, she'd be the one up there in Mano's place."

Joe and Reno joined them, keeping low.

"Buck." Reno handed him a rifle. "Just in case," he said and ran on to Sam.

Nick held his revolver at Manolito's side. "Hey, Señor Cannon," he called down to the men of the High Chaparral. "Do you see who we have here? Manolito. You want him alive? Then ride back the way you came. You can ride in tomorrow, and your brother-in-law will be right here where he is now."

Yeah, with a whole bunch of arrows stuck in his body, Buck thought grimly. He lowered his head and forced himself to think. If he did not come up with something quickly, Mano most likely would not get out of this alive.

"Mr. Cannon, we could probably send a couple of men around the back," Sam put in. "If they find a way up there, maybe they can help us out."

"No." Big John shook his head.

Buck sighed. "Well, it occcurs to me any gun play will bring a swarm of Apaches down here like a swarm of bees."

His brother nodded in agreement. "Occurs to me, too." He turned to the rock. "Nickanora, we've got to settle this without any shooting. Unless you want the Apaches moving down on us," he shouted.

"He is right, you know," Ringo said. "If the Indians hear guns, they'll be curious."

"All right, señor, no guns. But that isn't gonna save Manolito," Nickanora called down. He grinned maliciously. "Knives make no noise."

"You use a knife, and we'll use every gun we've got," Big John roared.

"A stand-off, amigos," Manolito said quietly. "Do you not agree?"

Ringo allowed himself a restrained smile. "I've got an idea," he said softly, then called to Buck: "Cannon, we can settle this real quiet. One man from your boys, one man from our bunch. No weapons, no holds barred."

"Take him up on it, brother John," Buck said immediately. "There ain't one of 'em I can't handle all by myself," he called out.

"Think so, Buck?" Ringo grinned down on him.

"Why don't you try me?" Buck yelled back.

Ringo shrugged. "Okay, I will. You win, you get your boy back. We win, he stays with us till he gets us across the border. What do you say?"

"Heads we win, tails we lose. That's nice," Blue murmured sarcastically.

Buck waved his hand. "Stop worrying, Blue Boy. It's a lead pipe cinch." Ringo had just told him that he was on their side and that he had concocted a plan.

"How's your head?" Big John wanted to know.

"My head, John?" Buck laughed. "I don't fight with my head."

"All right, Nickanora," the rancher called out. "We accept."

"Okay, Nick, you're our leader," Ringo said through gritted teeth. Nickanora looked at him, aghast. The gunslinger shot him a scornful glance. "What are you waiting for?"

Nick put his gun away.

Buck also unbuckled his gun belt. "I'm coming, Mr. John," he called out cheerfully.

Nick went down to the fire. Manolito lowered his eyes in embarrassment. He would have preferred to fight Nickanora himself.

"Watch yourself, Buck," Big John called after his brother.

Buck raised his hand and motioned for John to be quiet. He met Nick at the fire. They circled each other for a while, then Buck landed the first hit. However, he had to admit that Nick was not too bad at fistfighting, either. They exchanged vicious blows. For quite some time it looked as if neither would win. Manolito winced when he saw his best friend finally going down. But Buck had probably only needed to wake up. Mano breathed a sigh of relief when his brother-in-law got back up and almost immediately landed his next hit. This time, Nickanora went down. Buck pinned him to the ground and wrestled with him. The High Chaparral crew got up to better witness the fight. Buck got a few more hits in, and Nick stayed down.

Buck turned to his brother, a big grin on his face. "See, John? I told you I could handle him."

Nick jumped up and drew his knife.

Big John immediately pulled his gun on the man. "Drop it," he ordered sternly.

Ringo did not mince words. He simply fired at Nick's feet. Nickanora and Buck both glanced up to him, startled.

"I said no weapons," Ringo hissed, both revolvers at the ready.

Nick instantly dropped his knife.

Ringo took one of his revolvers by the barrel and threw it to Nickanora. "Looks like it's you and me, Nick," he grinned.

The leader slowly picked up the weapon. He looked to Ringo, a rigid grin on his face that made his fear all the more apparent. "All right, Ringo. You and me," he said softly.

Ringo licked his lips. Nick drew on him, but he was already firing. Nick pressed his hand to his chest where the bullet had hit him. A bloodstain began to grow on his shirt. His legs buckled, and he collapsed in slow motion. A shot shot rang out from Nick's revolver. The bullet hit the sand and did no harm. The High Chaparral crew now came to the fire. Buck threw a quick glance towards the motionless figure of Nickanora and walked away. He stopped at Ringo's horse, leaning with one arm on the saddle.

Blue meanwhile ran up the rocks. "Hi, amigo," he grinned and cut Mano's ties.

"Qué pasa," Manolito replied quietly. He went down the rock with Blue, rubbing his hands, wondering how much Buck would berate him for his little misadventure.

Ringo picked up his revolver at the fire. "He's all yours," he told Big John and nodded to Nickanora. He blew the sand from his weapon, then put his gun back in its holster. "You know, the Indians heard those shots," he continued calmly when the rancher did not move.

Big John finally nodded. "Yes. I've got to get to Cochise. – Mano," he called out for his brother-in-law and went back to the horses.

The ranch hands wasted no time to follow their boss. But Manolito stopped for a moment to face the gunslinger over Nickanora's body. "Ringo, I will see you again, no?" he asked.

Ringo merely shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows."

Mano nodded with a slight smile and followed Big John.

Finally, Buck came to the gunslinger. He looked at him sadly. "I'm obliged to you, Ringo." For Manolito's life.

Ringo smiled quietly. "I'll see you, Buck," he reassured his friend.

Buck lowered his head. "Yeah." He went to his horse and rode away without a backward glance.

Ringo watched him go. Suddenly he froze, eyeing his surroundings carefully. "Maybe," he qualified softly as he saw the two warriors on the rocks to his right. He turned his head. On the path in front of him stood about twenty riders in war paint. Ringo let his gaze travel further. The rest of Nick's gang huddled on the rock beside him. Ringo smiled.

xxx

Buck was the last who rode away from the scene. Mano reined in his horse, rode beside his best friend and covertly observed him. Buck kept silent and stared straight ahead, his face tense. He constantly listened to the goings on behind him, waiting for the gunshots. But the bows and arrows never made a noise. He thought he heard a strangled yelp at some point, but he was not sure. Suddenly he saw an image in his mind that would probably haunt him for the rest of his life. Ringo was lying motionlessly on the ground. The wind was blowing an uprooted bush over his boots. Then the colour drained from the picture. Snow began to fall, covering the landscape. When spring returned to the land, the boots and the man were gone. Nothing remaind to remind him that his friend Johnny Ringo had ever existed. Only the legends would continue to talk about him for some time.

After a few hundred yards, Big John called a halt. He told the crew to ride back to the High Chaparral while he and Mano would pay Cochise a visit. John wanted to send his brother home with the ranch hands, but Manolito worriedly shook his head. "We better take him with us. I do not want to leave him alone right now."

John gave his brother a once-over. Buck was sitting on his horse stiff as a poker. He seemed unaware of his surroundings. Mano was probably afraid that Buck would do something stupid, Big John thought. He nodded his agreement, and the three of them rode on.

In the Apache village Buck took the reins of their horses. Mano took his friend by the arm, wanting to pull him towards the wickiup, but Buck did not move. Letting out a heartfelt sigh, Manolito followed John alone to Cochise's dwelling. It took them quite a while to explain what had happened, not least because Mano was distracted. He strained to hear what was going on outside, and his muscles tensed at the slightest sound. He inwardly sighed in relief when the talk was finally over. But he could not say any more what he had translated or what had been decided. When they left the wickiup, Buck was still standing beside the horses as if rooted to the spot.

"What's with him?" a warrior wanted to know, nodding in Buck's direction. Mano explained.

The Apache shook his head regretfully. "They are all dead by now. But his friend died as a warrior. With honour. He should be proud of him."

Mano just shrugged his shoulders, put his hat on and went to the horses. He lightly touched his friend's arm, then reached for the reins. Buck's vision cleared. They mounted and rode back to the High Chaparral in silence. At the ranch Buck unsaddled his horse, leaned on the fence and stared sadly towards the mountains.

Mano hesitantly stepped up to his brother-in-law and leaned on the fence beside him. "I'm sorry, Buck. It was my fault. I messed it up," he apologised quietly.

Buck sighed. "It's all right, Mano." He half turned and put a hand on his best friend's shoulder. "This time you actually did us a favour. If we had surrounded them and shot at them, we would probably be shaking hands with those headhunters and their victims in hell right now."

Mano nodded thoughtfully. "You must have been good friends with Ringo. I did not want him to die because of me. You got one friend back, but lost another in the process."

Buck shook his head. "You saw yourself that Ringo fired that shot, Mano. He wanted it that way."

"Yes." Mano sighed. "How did you meet him?" he asked after a while.

Buck gave him a wary look. "Did you ever hear about illegal tournaments?" he finally asked.

"Yes," nodded Manolito.

"How much?"

Mano shrugged. "Only that they exist. I never managed to get there. I mean I asked around, but nobody could tell me anything."

"You either did not ask the right people, or you asked the wrong questions," Buck said thoughtfully.

Mano looked at him in disbelief for a moment, then let it be. He did not want to argue. "But you met Ringo at an illegal tournament?" he asked instead, looking towards the mountains.

"I not only met him," Buck said with a slight smile. "I even competed against him."

"What?" Manolito blinked in surprise.

Buck looked around. The courtyard was empty. The ranch hands had probably sat down to dinner in the bunkhouse already. Big John and Victoria were busy in the main house. Nobody would sneak up on him. Buck narrowed his eyes. "What I'm going to tell you isn't exactly common knowledge, and I want to keep it that way, Mano," he began, sounding dead-serious. "You give me your word on this. If Big John hears even a hint about it, I'll be gone faster than you can say adios."

Manolito looked sideways at his best friend, feeling suddenly uneasy. Buck rarely demanded that Mano gave his word of honour. Most of the time he took it for granted that his brother-in-law would not betray him. But since he insisted on it now, it had to be extremely serious. Mano nodded wordlessly and held out his hand.

Buck shook it solemnly. If John ever heard about it, he would chase his brother off the ranch, Buck was sure of that. However, Big John could save himself the trouble. Buck would leave first. Besides, Big John might get it into his head to prevent these illegal tournaments. That would get him into trouble in a big way. For this reason alone Mano had to keep mum.

Buck took a deep breath. "All right. During the war I had gained a reputation in certain circles. Not in the circles that give you a medal, mind you."

Mano grinned. With superiors like Jake Lanier a court martial was a lot more likely than a medal. And when he thought about how much Lanier had admired Buck's audacity, he could easily imagine what circles his brother-in-law was talking about.

"After the war I had been looking for work and met some people," Buck went on. "One of them told me about these tournaments. Do you have an idea where they take place?"

Mano shrugged. "Somewhere in a remote, godforsaken valley, I suppose. Where nobody asks any questions."

"Something like that," Buck nodded. "One place are the camps of the mining companies."

"Why there?" Mano asked skeptically. "I visited such camps, but I never heard anything about tournaments."

"It's a very convenient way for the bosses of the mining companies to recruit their private army," Buck explained. He made a disgusted face. "They have got enough money to pay such people. Killers who keep the miners in check if they want better wages." Then he continued thoughtfully: "On the other hand, they also protect the workers from raids and secure the food supply."

"And you worked for such people," Mano stated, disappointment colouring his voice.

Buck raised a hand and shook his head. "I did not say that. I was broke and wanted to win the prize money. I only competed in a tournament, but I never worked for them. Do you believe me?" he asked quietly.

Mano nodded. His brother-in-law had never lied to him. Not even when he had done something wrong.

Buck looked at his friend gratefully. "The tournaments are held during big celebrations such as New Year's Eve or the 4th of July," he continued. "Everyone wants to enjoy those events. Bandits certainly are no exception. And nobody would think twice when he sees outlaws at a fiesta or hears shooting. Besides, the tournaments take place at a different location every year. It's quite an elaborate system, but it would take too long to explain right now. Anyway, I competed in a tournament, and Johnny Ringo was assigned by lot as my opponent."

"And how would you describe such a tournament?" Mano asked ironically. "Like the ancient Olympic Games?"

Buck smiled slightly. "You're not entirely wrong, you know. People either keep their peace or get barred from the tournaments. After all, nobody would gain anything if they all killed each other off. There is also a recompense, a few dollars every participant gets. You compete in various categories, and you win on points."

"What kind of categories?" Mano asked curiously.

Buck shrugged. "The usual. Riding, shooting, knife throwing ... And a few interesting variations thereof. Everyone can make a suggestion. The opponent can of course refuse, but he will lose points if he does so, and then it's almost a given that he won't win the tournament. But most of all, he will lose prestige. The last competition is always the fistfight. This one is also won most often on points. But when the score is even before it comes to the fistfight, then they fight until one of the competitors either gains a five-point lead, or one of them tips over. But this doesn't happen very often, mind you. There is only one rule. If your opponent dies, you lose. You'll get neither the prize money nor the recompense."

Mano nodded. This made sense. A dead gunslinger could not be recruited, after all. "And how did you fare against Ringo?" he asked.

"Actually, not so bad." Buck smiled. "We hit it off immediately. It was more a friendly game than real opposition. I was one point better at riding, Ringo was one point better at shooting. When it came to throwing knives, we were both equally bad. We blamed it on bad luck." Buck shrugged. "Well, what can I say? Before we came to the fistfight, it was a draw."

"And you won this one," Mano interjected laughingly.

"Uh uh." Buck shook his head.

"You lost? In a fistfight?" Mano asked, sounding baffled.

"Not exactly," Buck said somewhat subdued.

"Then Ringo won?"

Buck squirmed. "He did not win, either. Not exactly."

Mano looked at his brother-in-law in confusion. "So who won?" he asked impatiently.

"Well, that was a bit hard to decide. Since I wanted to win the prize money, I had to think of something. You see, I introduced a new rule." Buck ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. "If I had known what upheaval it would create, I might have thought twice before I spouted that idea."

"What did you do?" Mano wanted to know, holding his breath.

Buck smiled sheepishly. "I suggested that you could borrow weapons from the spectators, but then these spectators would become your opponents."

Manolito frowned. "What do you mean?"

Buck's smile grew a bit wider. "Imagine you want to borrow a lasso from a spectator to finish your opponent off. But at the moment you borrow the lasso, the spectator will become your opponent, too, and attack you. Which means you suddenly have two opponents to contend with, and the lasso may do you no good any more. So you you have to think twice about what you borrow and who you borrow it from. Ringo seemed to like the idea. He grinned and suggested that you shouldn't be allowed to put the weapons down. If you borrowed a knife, for example, you couldn't put it in your belt to use it later on. You had to keep it in your hand. And if it fell down to the ground, you were not allowed to pick it up again."

"How did it end?" Mano wanted to know.

Buck began to laugh. "It was a wonderful battle, I'm telling you. The spectators that had become opponents did not want to miss out on the fun, of course. They borrowed weapons from other spectators who in turn became opponents. It was like a chain reaction. Can you imagine that Buckskin very politely asked Ike for his knife, that Ike really handed it to him - and then punched him so hard that Buckskin immediately dropped the knife again? And that Ike then asked Burt Alvord for a leather thong to tie Buckskin up and then Ike himself got tied up? I'm telling you, it was the best brawl I've ever been a party to."

Mano laughed uproariously. "Too bad I was not there. I would have loved to see that, compadre. The next time I will ride with you." This promised to be fun, and Mano wanted to see for himself what his friend would be cooking up next.

The laughter suddenly died in Buck's throat. "Forget it," he said firmly.

Manolito also broke off. "Why?" he asked in confusion.

"If Ringo were still around, he might have let you come with us. He liked you, after all. But without him, we won't stand a chance. If they find out who your father is, they'll make short work."

"Don't forget that I rode with Lobo and a few others, compadre," Mano countered heatedly. "I know how to defend myself."

Buck nodded. "I didn't mean that they would make short work of you," he said slowly, "but of me."

Manolito paled.

"At the tournament itself, we would be pretty safe," Buck explained. "They wouldn't attack us there. But the information would go around. And every desperado would lie in wait for us on the way home. They would hole up with you somewhere and blackmail your father into paying them any amount of ransom money they ask for if he values your well-being. And your daddy would pay. All his life. You have to understand, Mano." Buck took his friend by the shoulders, determined to drive the message home. "I can't protect you there, not on my own. I'm too busy taking care of myself."

Manolito nodded and lowered his head. Don Sebastian never had the dishonour of paying ransom money for his son. Since Buck thought that it was not safe for him, he really should not insist on coming along, he supposed. He swallowed. "How did you get out of there?" he finally asked uneasily.

"It was my lucky day," Buck replied seriously. "Nobody was miffed. On the contrary, they had all enjoyed this little brawl immensely. But it could have turned out quite differently. That's the interesting thing about those variations. But Ringo still thought it would be better if we rode away together. Of course neither of us got the prize money, but at least we got the recompense. We rode all day and halfway through the night to make sure that nobody was following us. Then we stopped in a remote, godforsaken valley and had a go at that fistfight again, just Ringo and me. No weapons, no holds barred."

"And who won?" Mano asked.

"We fought until we dropped. And whether you believe it or not." Buck sighed. "It was a draw. Once we realised that, we rented a hotel room in the next town. It took us three weeks until we were both fit as a fiddle again."

"That's why you called him the greatest fighter in the land," Mano exclaimed in surprise. As long as they had known each other, Buck had never ever needed three weeks to recover. He usually was back on his feet after two or three days.

Buck nodded absently. "But Ringo never saw it that way and always maintained that he was indebted to me. You know, he kept scolding me that I hadn't fought him with all my strength. I swore to high heaven that I had not held back, not even a little. But he never believed me."

Manolito rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He remembered his own suspicion that Buck always displayed only as much strength as was necessary. And that only the worst villains who really wanted to kill him off got to feel the full brunt of his strength. Buck seemed to define "full power" according to the situation, not according to his muscles. It was very well possible that he did not understand at all what Ringo had meant.

"In those three weeks I tried to teach Ringo the joy of life," Buck continued in the same bemused tone. "But I never figured out what he liked. Whatever I suggested – be it women, or whisky, or a poker game or something else entirely – he always seemed bored when he was asked to participate. He preferred to observe people. Nevertheless, I had the impression that he was glad for my company, that I was welcome and not merely tolerated. We rode together a few more days after we had recovered, but Ringo wanted to go east. And so we parted."

"You sound as if you regretted it even then," Mano commented. "Why didn't you ride with him when the two of you got along so well?"

"That's another story," Buck mumbled.

Manolito saw the suddenly closed face of his friend and knew he would not get an answer to this question. Buck surely had his reasons. Mano supposed he should not exaggerate and insist on an answer. His friend had told him more than he would ever tell his own brother. And Mano was proud that Buck called him friend. He only regretted that he would never see his best friend in such a tournament.

Buck noticed Manolito's disappointment and put a hand on his arm. "Come on, amigo. Dinner is waiting."

Mano nodded, and they walked to the house together.


End file.
